DEUTERONOMY LESSON 36
We will begin this lesson in Deuteronomy 32:26 "I said, I would
scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to
cease from among men:"
This is a continuation of the song of Moses from lesson 35. Moses
was encouraging them to realize who God was and worship Him, and no
other. We left off in the last lesson telling of the terrible things
that would happen to them, if they became unfaithful to God.
Deuteronomy 32:27 "Were it not that I feared the wrath of the
enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely,
[and] lest they should say, Our hand [is] high, and the LORD hath not
done all this."
The reason God would not totally destroy them at this point, is
because the enemy would not give God credit for the destruction.
Israel deserved to be destroyed, but God would not do that, because of
the preservation of the name of the LORD, even among the heathen
people. The heathen would think it was by their great strength, if God
allowed them to totally destroy them.
Deuteronomy 32:28 "For they [are] a nation void of counsel,
neither [is there any] understanding in them."
Israel had walked with God, and yet, they did not understand who
He is. They were void of good counsel, as well. They would not listen
to Moses, now, and certainly, would not listen, when he was gone.
Deuteronomy 32:29 "O that they were wise, [that] they understood
this, [that] they would consider their latter end!"
Their understanding was darkened. It is difficult to believe that
they could have seen so many miracles, and yet, doubt the God that
brought the miracles. They had not considered what might happen to
them in the end. It reminds me of people today who are not walking
with God. I wonder, if they ever consider that hell awaits them?
Deuteronomy 32:30 "How should one chase a thousand, and two put
ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD
had shut them up?"
If Israel would repent and live for God, there is no limit to
what they could do with the LORD leading them. One, and the LORD, are
a majority, no matter how large that majority is. Since they had been
unfaithful to Him, He has left them helpless. The Rock had sold them,
and the LORD had shut them up.
Deuteronomy 32:31 "For their rock [is] not as our Rock, even our
enemies themselves [being] judges."
They have traded the Rock {Jesus Christ} for an earthly rock that
has no power. They will lose without the Rock.
Deuteronomy 32:32 "For their vine [is] of the vine of Sodom, and
of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes [are] grapes of gall, their
clusters [are] bitter:"
Everything they do will fail, without the blessings of the LORD
upon them. Even their grape juice will be as bitter as gall. The
problem with the things they will produce, is that they are fleshly
things.
Deuteronomy 32:33 "Their wine [is] the poison of dragons, and the
cruel venom of asps."
The snake mentioned here is one which has a deadly bite. Any of
that venom would kill a man. Wine, made for earthly purposes, can
cause great grief and, sometimes, death.
Deuteronomy 32:34 "[Is] not this laid up in store with me, [and]
sealed up among my treasures?"
We love to share in the blessings of God's treasures. Most of us
do not want to admit that God has wrath stored up for the disobedient,
as well.
Deuteronomy 32:35 "To me [belongeth] vengeance, and recompence;
their foot shall slide in [due] time: for the day of their calamity
[is] at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste."
Romans 12:19 "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather]
give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will
repay, saith the Lord." Their evil ways will be their downfall.
Unfaithfulness to the LORD will bring calamity upon them from the
LORD, Himself. Romans 2:5 "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart
treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and
revelation of the righteous judgment of God;"
Deuteronomy 32:36 "For the LORD shall judge his people, and
repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that [their] power is
gone, and [there is] none shut up, or left."
If the people will not repent for themselves, then the LORD will
repent for them. When He judges His people and they are found wanting,
their power is taken away. Perhaps, this is a promise of the Messiah.
He will come and pay the penalty for all of sinful mankind.
Deuteronomy 32:37 "And he shall say, Where [are] their gods,
[their] rock in whom they trusted,"
This is the LORD showing the utter worthlessness of the false
gods.
Deuteronomy 32:38 "Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices,
[and] drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and
help you, [and] be your protection."
Idols and false gods are nothings. They have no power to help
anyone at any time. They are made by the imaginations of men.
Deuteronomy 32:39 "See now that I, [even] I, [am] he, and [there
is] no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal:
neither [is there any] that can deliver out of my hand."
The LORD God has the power of life and death. He needs no help
from another. He is the Almighty. God may wound them in chastisement
to cause them to return to Him. He is, also, their Healer. God holds
the power of life and death in His hands. He says who lives and who
dies. He has our time numbered, as He has the hairs of our head. Only
God has this great control. This shows the utter uselessness of false
gods.
Deuteronomy 32:40 "For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I
live for ever."
God is the great I AM. He is the One who eternally exists. He is
Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. "Lifting up the hand to
heaven" is a sign of taking an oath. God swore by His own name,
because there was no greater.
Deuteronomy 32:41 "If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand
take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and
will reward them that hate me."
The glittering sword, usually, indicated the sword was polished,
and ready for battle. Whet is a form of sharpening the sword for
battle, as well. It is God's judgement whether vengeance is to be
meted out, or not.
Deuteronomy 32:42 "I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and
my sword shall devour flesh; [and that] with the blood of the slain
and of the captives, from the beginning of revengers upon the enemy."
This shows the action of the vengeance.
Deuteronomy 32:43 "Rejoice, O ye nations, [with] his people: for
he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to
his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, [and] to his
people."
God will not let those go unpunished, who have killed his
servants. God will avenge their blood. We see what happens to the
people according to their relationship with Israel. Genesis 12:3 "And
I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee:
and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." God is always
merciful to His own. He may punish them, but He will come right back
and forgive them, and start them out again.
Deuteronomy 32:44 "And Moses came and spake all the words of
this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun."
"Hoshea" is the same as Joshua. Joshua listened to the words of
the song along with the people. It is so simple. God will bless them,
as long as they are faithful. If they are not faithful, terrible times
come to them, until they repent.
Deuteronomy 32:45 "And Moses made an end of speaking all these
words to all Israel:" Deuteronomy 32:46 "And he said unto them, Set
your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day,
which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words
of this law."
One more time, at the end of the song, Moses encourages the
people to listen carefully to the message and keep it in their hearts.
They must learn it well and teach it to their children, if they are to
be blessed of God.
Deuteronomy 32:47 "For it [is] not a vain thing for you; because
it [is] your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong [your] days
in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it."
This message is not to be taken casually. It is a matter of life
and death. God has kept His promise to give them the promised land.
It will be up to them, to keep it through their faithfulness to God.
Deuteronomy 32:48 "And the LORD spake unto Moses that selfsame
day, saying,"
As soon as the song was over, the LORD spoke to Moses.
Deuteronomy 32:49 "Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, [unto]
mount Nebo, which [is] in the land of Moab, that [is] over against
Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children
of Israel for a possession:"
The LORD will let Moses see the land of promise from the top of
the mountain. This is just over from Jericho, where the children of
Israel will enter into the promised land. Mount Nebo is, possibly, the
highest point.
Deuteronomy 32:50 "And die in the mount whither thou goest up,
and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount
Hor, and was gathered unto his people:"
Moses will look at the promised land, and die. He will have
finished his task on the earth, and God will call him home. "Being
gathered unto thy people" means that he will enter into his heavenly
rest. He will die on the mountain top, as Aaron had died on the
mountain top.
Deuteronomy 32:51 "Because ye trespassed against me among the
children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness
of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of
Israel."
This is speaking of the time, when Moses struck the Rock the
second time to get water, when God had told him to speak to the Rock.
That Rock symbolized the LORD. He was crucified once for the sins of
the world. To strike the Rock twice meant that the work Jesus did was
not sufficient.
Deuteronomy 32:52 "Yet thou shalt see the land before [thee]; but
thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of
Israel."
God rewards him for his leading of the people by allowing him to
see the promised land. He will not let him go over in the promised
land, because of his trespass of striking the Rock twice. Anger caused
the trespass. We do know that God still loved Moses and carried his
spirit into heaven, because Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus at the
transfiguration. Matthew 17:3 "And, behold, there appeared unto them
Moses and Elias talking with him."
Deuteronomy 36 Questions
1. What is this lesson a continuation of?
2. What was the reason God would not totally destroy them for their
unfaithfulness?
3. Israel is a nation void of ________.
4. Their understanding was ______________.
5. What was difficult to believe about the Israelites?
6. How do the Israelites remind the author of people today?
7. One, and the LORD, are a ____________.
8. Who is the Rock?
9. Who had they traded the Rock for?
10. Their vine is of the vine of __________.
11. The snake, mentioned in verse 33, is one with a __________ bite.
12. Most of us do not want to admit that God has _________ stored up
for the disobedient.
13. Quote Romans chapter 12 verse 19.
14. Unfaithfulness to God, will bring _________.
15. Quote Romans chapter 2 verse 5.
16. The _________ shall judge His people.
17. Who will come and pay the penalty for all mankind?
18. What had their worthless false gods done?
19. Idols and false gods are ____________.
20. Who has the power of life and death?
21. What are some names that show the eternity of God?
22. "Lifting up the hand to heaven" is a sign of what?
23. What does the glittering sword indicate?
24. What is verse 42 showing?
25. Quote Genesis chapter 12 verse 3.
26. Who is the same as "Hoshea"?
27. What does Moses try to tell them, one more time, at the end of the
song?
28. How will they be able to keep the promised land?
29. Where did the LORD tell Moses to go?
30. What will Moses be able to do from here?
31. What does the statement "being gathered to thy people" mean?
32. Why will Moses not enter the promised land?
33. The Rock symbolized the _________.